Rudolph shines in rain for Cowboys

NO. 11 OKLA. ST. 50, NO. 22 W.VA. 39

Even MORGANTOWN, without a week of practice, Mason Rudolph outshined Will Grier in the rain.

Rudolph threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead No. 11 Oklahoma State to a 50-39 victory over No. 22 West Virginia on Saturday.

A senior, Rudolph earned his 29th win as a starter, breaking the school record set by current coach Mike Gundy from 1986 to 1989.

Rudolph was in uniform but held out of practice over the past week in order to rest. Gundy said Rudolph was “dinged” after a win at Texas but didn’t specify any injury.

“I felt great today,” Rudolph said. “I was pretty confident. I think had it been my freshman year and I hadn’t practiced all week, I might have been a little mentally kind of out of it. I’m just really confident in our offense the way I can grasp it.”

Rudolph finished 20-of-34 for 216 yards. The national passing yards leader prevailed in a matchup with Grier, who entered the game first in the FBS with 26 touchdown passes.

Grier threw four interceptions, and his streak of seven straight 300-yard passing games ended. He finished 20-of-42 for 285 yards and two TDS.

In winning its fourth straight, Oklahoma State (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) scored four touchdowns following West Virginia turnovers, and the Mountaineers couldn’t come back from their biggest deficit of the season.

West Virginia (5-3, 3-2) entered the game fifth in total offense in the nation and was limited to 347 yards, 192 under its average.